Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Van Rensselaer, Kiliaen kēˈlēän văn rĕnˈsələr, rĕnˈsəlērˌ [key], c.1580–1644, Dutch merchant and patroon, b. Amsterdam. He was a wealthy diamond and pearl merchant and helped found (16...

(Encyclopedia) Roberts, Owen Josephus, 1875–1955, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1930–45), b. Philadelphia. After receiving (1898) his law degree from the Univ. of Pennsylvania, he practiced law in...

(Encyclopedia) Gaziantep īntäbˈ [key], city, capital of Gaziantep prov., S Turkey. Gaziantep is an import...

(Encyclopedia) Gambier Islands gămˈbĭr [key], volcanic islands (6 sq mi/15.5 sq km), South Pacific, near the ...

(Encyclopedia) Poitier, Sir Sidney, 1927–2022, Bahamian-American actor, b. Miami, raised in the Bahamas, returned to the United States at 14. Poitier served in the 1...

(Encyclopedia) Higashikuni, Naruhiko, 1887–1990, Japanese military officer and political leader, b. Kyoto. A prince of the imperial family and an uncle of Hirohito, he received military training in Japan and Franc...

(Encyclopedia) Margarita märgärēˈtä [key], island, 444 sq mi (1,150 sq km), in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. With many smaller islands it constitutes the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta (1990 ...

(Encyclopedia) shell money, medium of exchange consisting of shells, the most widely distributed type of ancient currency. Shells are particularly useful as money because they may be strung in long strips of proport...

(Encyclopedia) Calloway, Cab (Cabell Calloway) kălˈəwāˌ [key], 1907–94, jazz singer and band leader, b. Rochester, N.Y. Known for his inventive creativity, he hired some of the top musicians of his day for hi...

(Encyclopedia) Tojo, Hideki hēdāˈkē tōˈjō [key], 1884–1948, Japanese general and statesman. He became prime minister after he forced Konoye's resignation in Oct., 1941. His accession marked the final triump...